Hey guys, I went boarding for the first time this year today. I took out my Lib Tech TRS with MTX and my Cartels on their maiden voyage. Overall, everything went great. By my second run, I was going on the blacks. But I need new snowpants, as I realized this last pair is too small.

So I'm looking for recommendations to start with. I know to look for something min 10k/10k with fully taped seams, but I'd love to hear some experiences with different brands. My last pair were crappy Columbia pants I've had since I was a kid. Also, if I have a Special Blend Aaron jackets from this year, would it be beneficial to go with special blend pants. I don't remember if it had a system to connect with SB pants or not.

Also, right on the front of my shin got really sore today, it almost felt as if my skin was being pinched. I ride regular and I think I usually felt it on my toe edge, moreso on my back foot. I couldn't quite isolate the source. I wear snowboard socks in my boots but I have my pants and snowboard pants outside my boot. I'm wondering if maybe I had my boots to tight and by the time I loosened them later in they day, the damage had been done. Any thoughts?

I saw those today at a boarding store except they were large. I ended up getting a great deal on a pair of Shawn White pants and they fit me really well.

I also was looking for a light shell that was really waterproof for spring boarding and as it is like 5 degrees celcius here. I came across a NorthFace XCR which has goretex and I got it for $250 canadian, regular $430. You can't get more waterproof than goretex and you can tighten the waist, so I think it will work perfect for those wet spring days. Does anybody else have experience with North Face jackets snowboarding?

Just throwing in Arctix, I got them in December and I love them, not mainstream brand but check them out. Never soaked through, even on 40+ days with the sun shining and falling on my ass, and plenty of pockets.

I got a Columbia jacket I've used for two years, I know their snowboarding/waterproof gear is good shit.